The governing Jamaica Labour Party is scrambling to deal with the possible fallout from the latest developments in the bribery allegation facing Member of Parliament for East Rural St Andrew Joseph Hibbert.

Since Friday, when the British Serious Fraud Office released details of the allegations against Hibbert and the British bridge-building firm Mabey and Johnson, JLP officials have tried to stay far away from the issue.

But they have quietly accepted that this is a body blow the Prime Minister Bruce Golding-led party could well do without at a time when the Government is struggling to respond to the global economic crisis and the United States' request for the extradition of west Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

Yesterday, most senior members of the party were unavailable and those who were contacted refused to comment on the developments in the Hibbert case.

pointed to pnp

One member of the party's communication unit pointed The Sunday Gleaner to the People's National Party which was in power at the time the alleged bribery took place.

That was similar to the stance adopted by Information Minister Daryl Vaz in a media interview.

"This happened not in our administration and Mr Hibbert was an employee of the government at the time. He has indicated that he is going to clear his name and he is actively doing that. He has resigned as minister ... which I think was the right thing to do. We should just let it unfold," Vaz said in a radio interview.

The bribery allegations against Hibbert are expected to figure prominently this afternoon when Golding addresses party members in a hastily arranged conference.

Golding has summoned JLP officials and functionaries to a session in downtown Kingston where the Hibbert issue and the 'Dudus' extradition request could overshadow the critical discussions on the economic crisis.

should he resign?

In the meantime, a debate is quietly raging inside the JLP about whether Hibbert should resign as member of parliament.

On Friday, Hibbert told The Gleaner that he was not contemplating stepping down despite the allegation that he received more than £100,000 in bribes.

allegations

Hibbert, who resigned as a junior minister after the bribery allegations surfaced, has repeatedly denied the allegation while arguing that there is no reason he should quit as MP.

But attorney-at-law Bert Samuels says while there is no legal reason why Hibbert should resign, he should do the honourable thing and step down.

"Under the Westminster system where there is a scandal that reaches a certain proportion, the thing to do is to resign until it is cleared up," Samuels said.

That opinion is not shared by fellow attorney-at-law Patrick Bailey.

"Based on what I have read and what appears to be conflicting accounts, it would be unfair for Mr Hibbert not to be given an opportunity to defend himself. The allegations are being made in England and he has not had the chance to offer a defence, so for that reason I don't think he should resign," Bailey said.

Hibbert's account

"Part of what they said they have given to me as cash payment, I have never received. Lodgements that they have claimed they have made to my accounts have never been received, these millions they are talking about have never been received. I have no such accounts either in Jamaica or abroad."

"We are saying if money was paid over to me there is a proper explanation for it. When I travel to the United Kingdom for whatever reason to inspect your bridges and to make a determination on your ability to respond to a tender process that payment is made by you (Mabey and Johnson (M&J))."

"Travelling to England was not done of my own. It was done through the ministry I was part of at that time. I have approvals granted by ministers of government."

British SFO's account

"At all relevant times when Mr Hibbert was in receipt of money from M&J, he was bound by the relevant Public Service Staff Orders. He was not entitled to receive the money M&J paid him in respect of the exercise of his duties."

"Mr Hibbert received relatively modest advance payments in his own name, both in cash and through bank accounts here in the UK. In addition, M&J made a payment to Mr Hibbert's niece, a Faith Jadusingh, of £3,000. There was a payment to cover the UK-based funeral expenses for Mr Hibbert's mother. Additionally, Mr Hibbert received monies via his National Commercial Bank account in Jamaica."

"M&J accept that these payments were made with a corrupt intent to so persuade Mr Hibbert to act in a manner inconsistent with his duties as a public servant of the Jamaican Government."